A dog in Japan helped save a man’s life by calling for help with her barking.
Dog saves man’s life
According to CNN, the heroic pup is a 5-year-old mixed-breed dog named Koume. She works at a horse-riding club in Wakaba-ku, Chiba City, as a “mascot.” Employing female pups that greet members is a generations-long tradition at the club.
Koume was on duty at the club on Feb. 25 when a rider had a heart attack. She began barking.
“Koume is usually quiet and barks only under rare circumstances,” Yuna Maruo, a 23-year-old riding instructor present at the time of the incident, told CNN. “But when an emergency arises, Koume does bark.”
That barking alerted people nearby to the rider’s condition. Staff rushed to assist the man and called an ambulance. Paramedics arrived and used an automated external defibrillator to save the man.
An official from the Wakaba Fire Department praised the dog’s actions: “Koume’s action in calling for help and the staff’s actions were a perfect response.”
The rider recovered from the heart attack and is riding again at the club.
In honor of her life-saving actions, Koume appeared at a special ceremony, where she received an official letter of appreciation from local fire officials.
A history of helping
Maruo told CNN that this wasn’t Koume’s first act of service. Once, she alerted people to a runaway a horse. She also notified staff when an old horse struggled to stand on its own.
Koume was mentored by another canine, Ume, who apparently taught her how to alert humans to concerning situations. Though Ume has passed away, Maruo seems to think she would be proud of Koume and how she saved the man’s life. “Ume must be happy in heaven,” she said.
This isn’t the only story where a dog saves a man’s life. In fact, Koume joins a large pack of “dogs on duty” who have performed heroic acts. Check out these five other instances where canines saved people.
